


Happy Birthday, Harry

by Polkat (aralias)



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: April Showers 2015, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2004-07-31
Updated: 2004-07-31
Packaged: 2018-03-21 01:39:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 496
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3672744
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aralias/pseuds/Polkat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>James decorates for his son's first birthday.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Happy Birthday, Harry

**Author's Note:**

> Uploading old fic for April Showers 2015. All spelling/grammar errors (and my weird paragraphing) left as originally posted. These fics were never actually posted under the name 'Polkat' but I thought I'd group all my HP stuff together as the name change denotes a change in platform (FF.NET to LJ) rather than a change in the way I was writing.

There was a loud crack a short pause and then a voice that was trying not to laugh said: “Apparently you’ve not heard the phrase ‘less is more’."   
James didn't turn around. "You're early," he said, affixing the end of the paper chain with his wand. "And I have heard it: I just chose not to listen."  
The voice started laughing properly. “James, it looks terrible; Lily’s going to kill you.”  
  
It was his son’s first birthday and James Potter had been up since seven o’clock (the first time in months that he had managed this without Moody suddenly apparating a foot away from his bed and yelling  _“Wake up, Potter! Evil never sleeps you know!”_  in his ear) decorating the sitting room for Harry’s party. He stepped carefully down half the ladder and leapt down the rest landing next to Remus who was still watching him with a smile.  
  
James scrutinised the flashing lights, the paper-chains, the beaming pictures of Harry, the dancing teddy bears and the singing fairies.   
“You think it’s too much?” he asked dubiously.   
Whatever Remus was about to say (presumably “a little too much, yes James”) was swallowed up by another loud crack and the enterance of Sirius Black.  
  
“Sorry, I'm early," he started, not sounding sorry at all and then caught sight of the decorations. Wow!” he exclaimed happily and began prodding one of the teddies until it began a cancan. “This is wicked, Prongs. Did you do it?”  
  
There was a pause and then with a smile Remus turned to a horror struck James. “Sirius likes it,” he pointed out slyly.  
“Oh God, it’s got to go,” James groaned and began vanishing his decorations. “Remus how could you let me do this? Lily is going to kill me!”  
“You’re getting rid of stuff because I like it?” Sirius asked, too offended to realise that the waltzing teddy bears he had been watching had disappeared.   
James considered lying: eight years of friendship with Sirius informing him that Padfoot would undoubtedly create several far less tasteful decorations just as Lily arrived, merely to spite him but unfortunately before he could voice his gradually forming idea (that he'd just remembered Harry was allergic to fairies and... er... dancing tedddy bears) Remus had already answered in the affirmative, perhaps foolishly believing his relationship with Sirius would shield him from the resulting wrath.   
  
James began vanishing the decorations faster.   
  
A woman’s voice was singing slightly behind the door.   
 _“Happy Birthday to you,  
Happy Birthday to you,  
Happy Birthday dear-” _  
  
The door opened and Lily stopped singing, presumably taking in the pink dragons dressed as John Travolta dancing engergetically to the sound of  _'Saturday Night Fever'_  blaring from the speakers of their humble television, Sirius sulking in the corner, Remus laughing and the panic stricken expression on her husband’s face.   
“Lily," he began desparately. "I can explain-”  
  
She raised an eyebrow and then started laughing as well.  
“No James… don’t bother. It’s better this way.”


End file.
